Monday, May 3, 2010

Missing My Family


This weekend was my little cousin Noah's first communion. Noah is one of the most special little boys that I know, and that says quite a bit, because I know a lot of kids ;-) My Aunt Cricket is like a mother to me. She helped my Grandma raise me and has been a part of my daily life since I was a little girl. Noah is her only child. He is 8, she had him later in life as she and her husband tried for years to get pregnant. When Noah was finally born our entire family knew he was a miracle. He has brought so much joy to all of our lives.

My Aunt Cricket and Uncle RJ are Catholic and they are raising Noah as a Catholic as well. This weekend my family gathered together to celebrate his first communion. It is another family event that we can add to the list of the ones I have missed. The weddings, the funerals, the births and birthdays, the Christmas's and the graduations… for years I have missed them all, because I am in Zimbabwe. It is not an easy thing, to miss out on the events, after a while I start to wonder when they might feel like I am no longer a part of the family at all. As hard as it is for me to understand, it is even harder for them. I know that. I am here, living out the calling on my life. No matter how great the pain of any given moment I know that His grace is sufficient and that I am able to walk through the moments that hurt. They miss me terribly and cannot truly understand why I have this life that takes me all the way to the other side of the world to a country they have never known. The relational sacrifice, is the greatest of all the sacrifices I have made to move here, to follow God.

I miss them so very much. My love for my family hasn't changed, if anything it has grown immensely. As I learn to love a nation of strangers, I also learn to love my own family more. This weekend, I couldn't be more proud of my cousin as he takes such a big step in his spiritual journey. I am not Catholic, but I understand the importance of what he is learning. I also could not be more proud of my aunt. She waited so long for her son and I love that she has for the past eight years, remained faithful to God in the way that she is raising her child. This morning as I read Proverbs 3 I thought of her, the chapter starts with "My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments" and continues on to say "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." It is the deepest prayer of my heart that Noah will not forget these teachings of his early life and that he will learn to trust in the Lord.

Thank you for letting me take the opportunity to brag about my family J

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